Electric block system for pneumatic dispatch



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A. BR YSON, Jr; & H; s. MUDCE. ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH.

No. 365,787. a Patented July 5, 1887.

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A. BRYSON, J12, & H. s. MUDGE. ELECTRIC? BLOCK SYSTEM FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH.

N0. 365,787; Patented July 5, 1887.

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W 5 W al'lozucl m Z UNITED STATES PATENT Oriana ANDREiV BRYSON, JR, AND HENRY S. MUDGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,787, dated July 5, 1887.

Application filed February 26, 1887. Serial No. 22:,911. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ANDREW BRYSON, J12, and HENRY S. MUDGE, citizens of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Electric Block Systems for Pneumatic Dispatch, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of our invention is to prevent collision between carriers traveling in apneumatic tube or other conduit, and to allow of the introduction of a carrier at any point in a main way wherein other carriers are or may be moving.

Our invention consists of a valve, gate, or block located at any entrance, branch, or station of a main line automatically locked by the closing of a normally-open electric circuit effected by contacts on a carrier. The gate or block has a lever attached thereto, the movement of which is controlled by an arm pivoted so as to rise and allow the free movement of. the gate-lever during its opening or closing.

The gate or block is locked in the closed position by an electrolnagnet acting upon an armature on the free end of the pivoted arm, preventing its rise and the consequent movement of the rigid gatelever. The electro magnet forms part of an open circuit consisting of two insulated conductors lying in the path of a carrier, through which the circuitis completed by contacts on the carrier itself.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate our invention, Figure l is a plan view of a way at a branch or entrance. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a way and carrier, showing thecircuits and contact on the carrier- Fig. 4 is an end view of the same. Fig. 5 is across section on line my of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the insulated conductingstrip.

A is the main line, and B the branch.

0 is the carrier, having attached to it the conducting plate a, carrying the contactbrushes 1) b.

D is the insulated conducting-ribbon, consisting of the insulating material a and conducting-strips d 61, secured to the way in the path of contacts b b on carrier 0. Conductors (I dare in circuit through a battery, Fig.3, with an electro-magnet, M, located at or near the intersection of the branch and main lines 5; A and B.

The locking device controlled by electromagnct M consists of the gate 6, revolving with its gate-post f, to the lower end of which is rigidly secured lever g. This lever 9 projects below and across the main wayA through and somewhat beyond a slot, h, in segment H, of sufficient length to allow the free lateral play of lever y when gate 6. is opened and closed. Pivotcd at i to segment H is an arm, v I, having a lug, 2', bearing against the projecting extremity of lever g in such wise that when lever g movesback and forth in its slot hit must of necessity carry arm I about its pivot. Astuchj, on segment Hsupports arm I when lifted. An armature, k, at the free end of arm I rests upon electro'inagnet M when the arm is down, andthe circuitthrough the magnet being closed prevents arm I from being lifted by lever g, and consequentlylocks gate 0 in the closed position, and releases it only when the circuit is again broken. The position of gate 6 is indicated by arm E, attached to the upper extremity of the'gatepost.

The operation is as follows: Assuming gate 6 to be closed, lever g is in the position shown in Fig. 2, and armature 7c of arm I lies upon electromagnet M, which is in circuit with the two insulated conductingstrips cl (I, extending a suitable distance each side of the gate. A carrier, 0, approaching, on passing over strips (1 d, immediately completes the circuit through its contacts 1) b. Thereupon electromagnet M attracts armature 70 with such force that a carrier introduced at B strikes against. gate 6 and is unable to open it until the passage of the carrier on the main line beyond the conductors breaks the circuit, discharges the electro-magnet, and unlocks lever g.

The carrier from B now pushes gate e open and in its passage into the main line brings gate 6 into a position in which it lies out of the path of the next carrier coming down the line, and at the same time arm I assumes the posi- IO) tion indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.. Gate 0, when open, is enabled to take a position out of the path of carriers on either line by setting its gate-post f a distance equal to the width of the gate back of the apex formed by the intersection of the branch and main lines. (See Fig. 1.) Arm E on the exterior of the tube serves to close the gate after it has been opened. When the gate, on opening, is allowed to project somewhat into the path of the next downcoming carrier,- it is pushed forward by the carrier until arm I has been carried over its pivot, whereupon the weight of the arm in its fall effects the further closing of the gate. In a pneumatic tube, when the current of air is of sufficientstrength, its pressure against gate 0 will effect the preliminary closing, that brings arm I into operation. In each case the position of the gate is determined by a stop, 6, against which arm E abuts when pneumatic or other tube having the necessary slot therein, and stop j may be attached immediately to the side of the tube; neither do we confine ourselves to the particular location of the locking device as shown in the drawings.

We have shown our electric block as arranged for small pneumatic tubes and light carriers; but we do not limit ourselves to its use in this connection alone, as it may readily be adapted to any way, line, or conduit in which it is desired that, the'carrier, by mak ing and breaking an electric circuit, should automatically lock and unlock a gate or block at a side entrance or branch of the same.

Having thusdescribed our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a way, a gate, a locking-lever actuated by a magnet forming part of an electric circuit, electrical conductors included in the same and extending for somedistance parallel with the way, means on a carrier for maintaining a closed circuit while passing over the conductors, and lever-connection between the gate and locking-lever, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of gate 6, gate-post f, lever segment H, or its equivalent, having slot h and stud j, and arm I, pivoted as described, whereby gate 0 is automatically closed, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination of gate e, gate-post f, lever 9, segment H, or its equivalent, having slot h, arm I, pivoted thereto, having lug i, and its free end constituting an armature, h, and elcctro-magnet M, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of gate 0, gate-post f, lever 9, segment H, or its equivalent, having slot h, arm I, electro-magnet M, electric conductors in circuit with the electro-magnet, and means on a carrier for completing the circuit through the conductors, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

5. The combination of gate 6, gate-post f, lever 9, segment H, or its equivalent, having slot h, arm I, electro-magnet M, electric conductors in circuit with the magnet and parallel with a way, a carrier traveling thereon, and means on the carrier for closing the circuit while'passing the conductors, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

6. The combination of gate 6, gate-post f, lever 9, segment H, or its equivalent, having slot h, arm I, electro-magnet M, insulated conductors d d in circuit therewith, carrier 0, plate a, and contacts I) b, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW BRYSON, JR. HENRY S. MUDGE. Witnesses:

GEORGE Bron, O. B. SKIFF. 

